Computer programs often have associated data files that are processed by the computer program during a normal execution of the computer program. A data file can contain information that is processed and presented to a user either in a video presentation or an audio presentation, or a combination of video and audio. Slide presentation programs are examples of computer programs that process an associated data file.
Slide presentation programs are computer programs that enable a user to create, edit, manage, and perform "presentations" on a computer. One example of a popular slide presentation program is Microsoft PowerPoint, available from Microsoft Corporation, of Redmond, Washington. A slide presentation includes a set of electronic "slides," each slide corresponding to one screen or page of output. An electronic slide may also be converted to a 35 mm or overhead transparency and displayed in a standard slide projector or overhead projector. Each slide contains one or more objects, such as text, graphical images, or graphic automation. A slide may also include a sound object or video that is played when the slide is displayed during a "slide show" performance.
A slide presentation program "performs" a slide show by sequentially displaying a series of slides contained within the slide presentation. The slides are displayed on a computer screen or projected onto a separate surface. During a performance of a slide show, a "presenter" controls the performance by invoking commands to "advance" to the next slide. A command can be entered using a keyboard, a mouse, or another suitable input device. Alternatively, an author of a slide presentation can include slide "timings" with each slide. A slide timing corresponding to a slide indicates the number of seconds that the slide is displayed before the slide presentation program automatically advances to the next slide. During a performance of a slide show, a slide presentation program automatically advances to the next slide when the existing slide's timing ends. An ordered sequence of slides is predetermined by a slide presentation author. During a performance of a slide show, a presenter can enter commands to alter the sequence of slides.
The PowerPoint program has associated sample presentation files, each sample presentation file including an example of a slide show that can be created with PowerPoint. Sample presentation files are distributed on a storage medium that also contains the PowerPoint Program, as part of the PowerPoint product. Since there is limited space available on the storage medium that is distributed, the number and size of sample presentations that can economically be distributed in this manner is limited. Additionally, all sample presentations that are to be distributed in this manner must be available prior to the date of product manufacturing in order to be included on the storage medium in the finished product.
It is desirable to have a mechanism that allows an application program, such as a slide presentation program, to update the set of data files associated with the application program. Preferably, such a mechanism will retrieve data files from a network, such as the Internet. Additionally, a preferable mechanism will automatically determine whether an update of the data file set is advisable, based upon the duration since a previous update. Further, a preferable mechanism will automatically retrieve updated data files and begin a slide show.